Time After Time
by magicsunbeam
Summary: Sara makes a discovery that shakes both her and Jack.


Title: Time

Author: magicsunbeam

Email: angst/H&C/humour/future... but only right toward the end.

Pairing: none that matters

Season: After Matter of Time, but before season six. Then anytime after they dumped poor Jonas.

Rating: G

Content Warnings: none, Its a bit sad...think you MAY need a hanky in places.

Status: Completed

Summary: Sara makes a discovery that shakes both her and Jack.

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.

Authors notes. This is not intended to be shippy...in the begining it was just about two people who need each other to lean on in a time of need. I have deliberately left the end open as far as are they together? Aren't they? It's up to you.

Jack O'Neill came out of the kitchen, with a large bowl of popcorn balanced precariously on the six-pack in his hands, and a huge bag of tortilla chips under one arm. As he reached the sofa, the front door flew open and Daniel came in carrying two pizza boxes.

"Ready to eat?" He asked.

Jack stared for a moment, before a big grin spread across his face.

"Oh yes, Dr Jackson you are the man!" He said, putting the chips and popcorn on nearby coffee table. He then grabbed a box from his friend and threw himself into the chair.

"Quick, pull up a pew. The movie's about to start," he told Daniel.

The two men settled themselves into their seats, eyes' turning immediately to the T.V, not a word was exchanged as the title credits began to roll. At the same time, the phone began to ring. Daniel looked across at Jack, the older mans eyes didn't move from the screen.

"Machine will get it."

"Ahh." Daniel said, before ripping off a big piece of pepperoni.

Jack's voice carried across the room.

"This is Jack O'Neill. Sorry, can't get to the phone right now. Please leave a message and I'll call you back."

Jack froze as he recognized Sara's voice.

"Jack. It's me. I need you to call me as soon as you get this," she paused for second, choking back a sob. "Please, Jack."

Movie forgotten, Jack was up, across the room and had the phone in his hand before Sara finished her sentence.

"Sara? It's me. What's wrong?"

Daniel watched Jack as Sara spoke. His own concern grew as he watched the color drain from Jack's face, noticing also, that his hand was shaking as he ran it through his hair.

"Okay. Okay. Sara, listen to me. Listen. It's okay. Don't get upset. I'm coming over right now."

Slamming the receiver down, Jack reached for his jacket. Daniel was at his side in a second.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

"Sara found something…something belonging to Charlie. It's thrown her a little," he replied, frantically searching through his jacket pockets. "Where are my damn keys?"

"Forget your keys," Daniel replied. "Come on, I'll drive you."

Jack was out of the car before Daniel had even brought it to a stop at the end of Sara's driveway.

"Let me known if you need anything, Jack." Daniel said. "Anything at all."

"Thanks, Daniel," Jack called over his shoulder and trotted off up the drove without a backward glance.

Daniel watched his friends retreating back for a moment.

"More tough times for the House of O'Neill," he sighed, before pulling away.

Jack wasted no time in knocking at the front door. Instead, he headed round the side of the house and into the garden. There he found Sara sitting quietly on the porch, staring into space.

"Hey," he spoke softly.

After a seconds delay, Sara turned a tear streaked face toward him.

"Hey," she replied, through a watery half smile.

Jack cringed inwardly at his ex wife's obvious distress. A large part of him wanted to wrap his arms round her. Tell her it was okay, to comfort her. However, he knew those days were gone now. Like Charlie.

Instead, he sat down beside her on the porch step, hoping that his closeness might go at least part way to helping.

"It's over there." Sara said quietly, nodding her head toward the end of the garden.

Jack followed her gaze, his own eyes falling on the dirt covered, oblong shaped box that sat on the edge of the lawn. He swallowed hard, as a rush of dread swept over him.

Charlie's time capsule.

Jack and Sara sat in silence for a long time, neither taking their eyes off the box. The warmth from the spring sunshine on their heads did little to heat the chill in their hearts.

"I forgot it was there." Sara said finally. "We were in Vegas when he and dad buried the box. Remember?"

Jack did remember. Mike had talked them into going away for a weekend together. Recharge the batteries, he had said. They had had a great time touring the sights, getting dressed up and eating in fancy restaurants, before hitting the casinos.

When they got back, Charlie was bursting to tell them about the box. He had taken them and shown them the place in the flowerbed where he had buried it, but when asked what was in it, he had refused to say.

Jack smiled, remembering the excitement on his son's face.

"It'll be like opening a birthday present, dad!"

The smile remained as Jack asked; "Did he ever tell you what he put in it?"

Sara shook her head. "No. You?"

"Not a word."

Silence wrapped itself around them once again, as they sat there, shoulder to shoulder, lost in their own thoughts. As the sun fell behind the treetops making shadows across the garden, Sara spoke again.

"I'm sorry."

Jack turned and looked at her, puzzled.

"For what?" He asked.

"For panicking like that. Dragging you over here. I should have just covered it over again. It's just – well, it felt like I'd touched on something…" she hesitated.

"Sacred?" Jack guessed.

Sara gazed back at him with something resembling mild surprise.

"Yes," she smiled. "Sacred – and I didn't know what to do with it."

Jack nodded he head, understandingly. "So. Do you know what you want to do with it now?"

"No," she sighed softly. "Half of me wants to look inside, the other half is telling me to run."

She studied Jack for a moment in the fading light.

"What about you?"

"Me?" He then paused for the longest moment before admitting; "I think I need to look inside."

Jack felt Sara's body begin to tremble beside him. He turned to her, and was alarmed to see tears coursing down her face.

"Hey, we don't have to," he said, taking hold of her hand.

"I want to," she sniffed. " I do want to. It's just…" her voice trailed away.

Jack sighed heavily, squeezing Sara's hand. "You're sure?"

Sara looked down at the strong hand holding hers, and squeezed back.

"Yes," she said with finality. "You get the box, I'll make some coffee. It's suddenly cold out here."

Placed on the coffee table, it was another hour before Jack and Sara gathered enough nerve to open the box.

"You're sure?" Jack asked Sara, who had embedded herself in the corner of the couch.

Hugging a cushion, her eyes wide with trepidation, she gave the slightest of nods.

Taking a deep breath, Jack carefully opened the lid, reached inside and took out a small bear.

For a second both stared at it, and then in unison exclaimed:

"Pookie!"

Grinning, Jack offered the bear to Sara. Dropping the cushion, she leaned forward and carefully took the toy. Jack watched as her fingers explored the ragged blue bear, running gently over the scratched eyes, the broken nose and the stitches in the arm seam where a hole had once been. Sara smiled wistfully as she rubbed a worn ear between her fingers.

"He used to take Pookie everywhere with him, remember?"

Jack nodded. "As I recall, that ear got used some."

Sara laughed. "Remember how, when he needed both hands to carry something, and he didn't want to put Pookie down – "

"Yeh." Jack interrupted. "He'd stuff that ear in his mouth and carry him round like that."

A soft smile crossed Sara's lips. "Yeah."

"What about the time we visited your cousin in Maryland?" Jack grinned. "Charlie fell asleep on the plane and we left Pookie behind. Aw man, were we in trouble."

"Oh God, yes. He screamed and cried the whole three days it took for the airline to find it and get it back to us."

"What happened to the bear?" Jack asked. "It was suddenly - gone. It can't have gone far, he had it to put in the box."

"Charlie had just had his seventh birthday. I came in one day and found him putting it right in the back of his closet." Sara said. "When I asked him why, he told me the other kids were teasing him over it. He didn't want to part with Pookie really, so he hid him."

Jack nodded his understanding, a half smile on his face. He then turned back to the box.

"Okay, let's see what else we have in here," he said, putting his hand in and retrieving a tiny catch mitt.

Sara watched as Jack turned the mitt slowly in his hands.

"My God! Were his hands really that small?"

"You should know, Jack." Sara chuckled. "As I recall you scoured every sports shop within a fifty mile radius, trying to find a glove to fit. You had to have one custom made for Charlie."

"From old man Borrowdale."

Sara smiled and agreed. "Old man Borrowdale."

"He was a great guy," Jack sighed. "Went out of his way to make sure the kids had the chance to do their best. Is he still around?"

"Nooo." Sara shook her head. "He died a couple of years back."

"Yeah? That's a shame. Great guy."

Sighing, Jack put the mitt on the table and put his hand back in the box.

"God, I feel like David Copperfield." Jack laughed.

This time he pulled out a photograph frame, the contents of which almost had Jack drop the frame.

Seeing Jack stiffen suddenly, Sara leaned forward and gently pried the picture from his hands. In the picture was a roughly four year old Charlie, sitting on Frank Cromwell's knee. Both were crossing their eyes, had their index fingers in their mouths, and were pulling their lips length ways.

Sara immediately remembered the time. It was Jack's birthday, and she had secretly arranged for a few of their closest friends to join them for a barbeque. Jack had got back from work to find his back yard over run with friends and colleagues...some he hadn't seen for years. Once he had gotten over the surprise, Jack had relieved Charlie Kawolski of his duty as chef.

"My yard, my barbeque. Now move over, son, and let a real man show you how it's done!"

Sara almost laughed aloud at the memory.

Sometime that day, someone had picked up Sara's camera and took the picture of Frank and Charlie. She didn't know about the picture until the film had been developed. Charlie loved it so much, she had it framed and he kept it on his bedroom wall.

Three weeks later, Jack, Frank and Charlie were called upon to go to Iraq. After that, things were never the same again.

"You okay?" Sara asked.

Jack turned his face toward her voice. "What? Oh. Yeah, I'm okay."

Sara saw the brief confused look, and realized he too had been lost in his own memories.

"Can I ask you something, Jack?"

"Shoot," he replied.

"Did you and Frank ever... you know," she paused. "Did you patch things up before Frank died?"

"No."

The answer was quick, quiet and angry.

"Is that something you regret?"

For what seemed like the longest time, Jack scowled at the floor and said nothing. Then slowly, Sara saw the change. The anger evaporated and was replaced by a look of profound regret.

"Yes."

The one pain filled word broke Sara's heart.

Without a thought, she leaned across and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Then leaning her forehead against his temple whispered;

"I'm sorry."

They remained like that for a couple of minutes, each taking comfort from the others touch. Finally, Sara stood.

"How about I make some fresh coffee? Or maybe you'd like something cold? I have beer somewhere."

"No," Jack grinned. "Coffee's fine."

Sara disappeared into the kitchen, feeling somewhat relieved. Making coffee would give them both the time they needed to gather themselves together.

"So, Mr. Copperfield." Sara grinned, putting the steaming mugs down on the table. "Anything else in your bag of tricks?"

"Okay, let's see." Jack replied as he dug to the bottom of the box and retrieved a CD. The grin on his face disappeared as he read; "A message for Mom and Dad."

"Computer disc," he said simply, handing the disc over.

Tears formed in Sara's eyes as soon as she read the inscription. Handing it quickly back to Jack, she retreated into her corner of the couch and all but hid behind her coffee mug.

"I can't, Jack." She said, as the tears began fall. "I'm sorry, I can't."

Jack absently wiped the disc's casing, and after a moment placed it back in the box.

"It's okay," he said softly, fighting with his own emotions. "Neither can I."

After staring for sometime at the box, Jack dipped his hand into the box for the fifth time. "Okay... let's see what else Charlie hid in here."

Pulling out a pack of Pokemon cards, Jack pulled a face. "Ah. Peek-a-boo," he said, wisely.

Sara almost choked on a mouthful of coffee.

"Pikachu."

"Bless you." Jack said seriously, then absently added. "I'd be careful with that coffee if I were you."

"It's name is Pikachu."

Jack looked from the card, to Sara and back again.

"Oh. Right. Peek-a-boo, Pikachu. Same thing."

Sara laughed through her tears. "Sure, Jack."

Jack shot her his Well, I'm Stunned! looks, but decided not to pursue the matter.

"What do you do with these things anyway?" He asked. "Do you play snap?"

"No. Those are trading cards. You know, as in you swap them with your friends?"

Jack frowned. "Are you sure? I have two Zigzazoons."

"ZigzaGoon, Jack."

"Four Explodes."

"Explode."

Jack shot her a dirty look.

"And three Peek-a-BOO'S," he said slowly and deliberately, giving her a look that dared her to correct him.

She didn't correct him. Instead, she laughed herself silly.

Jack watched her, a soft and amused smile crossing his face, and it suddenly occurred to him that he was glad Sara had found the box. He had been just as scared as her to look inside. Scared that the things Charlie had buried would bring back memories too painful for either of them to deal with.

To find himself laughing and actually enjoying the trip into Charlie's past surprised him. It also made him wonder if there was a light at the end of the tunnel. That someday he would be able to pick up a picture of his son... and smile.

Way into the early hours, Jack and Sara talked, and laughed, and cried and talked some more.

Both were sprawled over a couch as the sunlight began to thread its way through the pines.

"So." Jack said with a sigh. "What do you want to do with the box?"

Giving it some thought, Sara finally said;

"Let's bury it again. Charlie did ask that we open it on his 21st birthday. I know we cheated, but I think we should honor his wishes."

"Okay. Me too." Jack stood up and reached for his jacket. "Let's do it now."

Sara followed him to the door. As they stepped out into the morning sunshine, Sara lay a hand on Jack's arm.

"Wait," she said, giving Jack a quick smile. She reached into the box and took out Pookie. Holding the bear to here chest, she asked; "Do you think Charlie would mind if I keep him? It's silly, I know, but I can't stand the idea of leaving him in the box."

"I'm sure Charlie wouldn't mind." Jack grinned.

As they made their way across the garden, Sara sighed.

"Maybe in another eight years or so, we'll be ready to take a look at that disc?"

"Maybe." Jack agreed, with a smile. "Maybe.

EIGHT YEARS LATER

"You know, some would call your behaviour obsessive" Daniel Jackson observed with a hint of irritation.

"Hey!" Jack flipped a burger, and with a casual shrug replied. "My yard, my barbeque. Live with it Daniel."

"Live with it!" Daniel huffed. "You're like a five year old with a new toy."

"Now boys." Janet Fraiser's voice drifted through the open kitchen window. "You play nice, or I'm going to have to take the toy off you."

"Yes, mom." Jack drawled, and poked his tongue out at Daniel.

"Hey! Hey! Janet! Jack's sticking his tongue out at me!"

Both men grinned as a muttered "Oh, for crying out loud." reached their ears.

Janet and Cassie appeared stepped into the garden, each carrying a pile of plates.

"Jack. Don't be an ass." Cassie admonished. "Give Daniel a turn."

"Cassie!" Daniel choked on a piece of hotdog.

"Cassandra Fraiser!" Janet gasped.

"Excuse me?" Jack asked, trying to hide the grin that was threatening his features.

George Hammond chuckled quietly.

"Oh mom, please. I'm only saying what you've been dying to say for years."

Janet gawped at her daughter, while the rest of the company went into fits of laughter.

Teal'c chose that moment to interupt.

"O'Neill. I believe Colonel McKay has arrived."

Jack immediately handed the barbeque tongs to Daniel, and rubbing his hands together gleefully, made his way to the house.

He found Sara in the kitchen talking to Sam McKay, ex Sam Carter, and now the recently promoted Colonel Sam McKay.

"Hey! About time you guys arrived. I've been waiting forever. Where is she?"

Sam laughed. "Hello to you too, Jack."

Jack grinned sheepishly and pulled Sam into a warm hug. "Hello Sam. It's very nice that you could join us."

"So?" He pushed. "About three feet tall, blonde hair, incredible blue eyes. Speaks fluent garble. You seen anything recently that would fit the description?"

"Is this what you're looking for?"

Jack spun on his heel to find Rodney McKay standing in the doorway with his two year old daughter in his arms.

"Bambino!" Jack cried.

The little girl immediately started to struggle toward the floor. As soon as McKay set her down, she ran straight into Jack's waiting arms.

"Hi, Ellie." Jack beamed. "How're doing?"

In response, Ellie McKay held up a battered blue bear for Jack to see.

"Pookie!" Jack cried, laughing.

"Pookie." Ellie agreed.

"Oooookay. We're set." Jack announced. "I have my girl. She has her bear. Now what?"

The little girl bounced excitedly in Jack's arms.

"Hotdog," she said.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Hotdog."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. You want what?"

"Hotdog!"

"Hotdog!" Jack laughed. "Okay, lets go see if Daniel burned them all yet."

As Jack strode off toward the garden with her daughter in his arms, Sam laughed.

"He never changes," she said, as she, Sara and Rodney followed them out into the garden.

The late afternoon sun found Jack sprawled in a deck chair, contentedly listening to the bantering going on between his company.

If, eleven years before, Jack had been told that he would be actually celebrating his son's 21st birthday, he felt he'd have probably decked them.

Yet here he was, with Sara, surrounded by his most tried and trusted friends. George Hammond, Sam Carter.. ok, Sam McKay. Jack shook his head. He still couldn't fathom Carter's choice in men, but who was he to judge? Daniel, Teal'c, Doc Fraiser, Cassie, Sara's dad, Mike. Even Jonas had gated in to be with them. And of course, there was Ellie. His God-daughter, and one of the most precious things to happen to him since Charlie.

"Thanks guys."

Although the words were spoken quietly, all eyes turned to Jack.

"For what, Jack?" Daniel asked.

"Being here. Showing Sara, Mike and me your support. Helping us get through today." His eyes found Sara, and she smiled. "Means a lot."

"Jack." The General spoke up. "It should be us thanking you. I know you're a private man, and to allow us to share your son's day means a lot to us too."

"Agreed." Teal'c said, bowing his head.

"I never had the pleasure of meeting that young man, and I'm sure that's my loss, but," continued Hammond, raising his glass into the air. "With your permission, I'd like to propose a toast?"

Swallowing hard, Jack could only nod his approval.

"To Charlie. For all the love, light and happiness he brought into this house. May that love shine forever in the hearts of his parents, and grandfather." He looked around the circle of gathered friends. " To Charlie. Happy 21st birthday, son,"

As a chorus of "Charlie," went up around the group, the lump swelling in Jack's throat threatened to choke him. Looking toward Sara, he saw her brushing her own tears away.

"Thank you, George," he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

That night, after their compnay had gone, Jack, Sara and Mike sat around the kitchen table contemplating the days events.

"It's been a good day." Mike said, breaking the conpanionable silence. "I'm glad you two decided to go for the get together after all."

"Me too." Sara smiled, taking her fathers hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Mm." he grunted, and climbed to his feet. "If it's okay with you two, I think I'll call it a night."

"Okay. Night, dad." Sara smiled.

"Night, Mike." Jack nodded.

They watched as the old man shuffled out of the room and made his way up the stairs.

"It's been hard on him." Sara sighed, once her father had gotten out of earshot.

"Been a hard day for us all, Sara." Jack replied, reaching across the table for her hand. "But I think we did okay."

"Yeah. We did okay," she agreed. "More than okay. I think today may have helped make us even stronger than before."

Jack's eye's drifted across the room to where the small wooden box lay.

"Strong enough to finish what we started eight years ago?" He asked.

Sara started for a moment, then taking a deep breath, forced herself to stay in control of her emotions.

"Yes."

"You're sure?" Jack asked.

Sara nodded her head firmly. "Yes!"

Sitting on a couple of kitchen chairs in front of the computer, Jack inserted the disc into the tower. A moment later the screen flashed.

Sara's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh God, Jack. I thought it was going to be audio! Oh, God."

Jack made a grab or her hands and held on as Charlie came to life on the screen.

"Now, Grandpa? Can I say it now?"

Somewhere in the background, they heard Mike's voice. "Yup, you can say it now."

Charlie grinned. "Okay. Hi Mom, hi Dad. It's me!"

Sara made a noise that sound like half a laugh, half a sob, and gripped Jack's hand.

"Just in case I didn't tell you, Grandpa and me have been busy. While you are away in Vegas, we made a time box."

"Capsule." Mike's voice floated in.

"Now I know where you get the correcting thing from." Jack muttered, nudging Sara's shoulder.

"Time capsule." Charlie repeated. "We put a whole bunch of stuff in it. Some stuff I don't need anymore, and some stuff I think is really cool. I put in my Pokemon cards, cos Grandpa said when I'm older, they'll be worth a lot of money."

Jack snorted.

"And I put in my catch mitt. Don't need that anymore, and I think it'd be cool to look at when I'm old. Like twenty or something."

Sara laughed.

"I put in the picture of me and Uncle Frank - mainly cos him and Dad are mad at each other over something. Maybe sometime they'll be friends again, and when they are I'll put the picture back on my wall."

Sara squeezed Jack's hand.

"I put Pookie in there cause, really, I don't need him now. I'm going to be ten soon, and only kids have teddies. It'd be nice to remember him when we dig the box - capsule up again.

Grandpa thought making a recording of me would be good, so thats why I'm making this CD. He says that good memories are precious, and that everyone should remember the good times. I think he's right - well, sometimes."

Charlie giggled as Mike said something that the microphone didn't pick up.

"Me and Grandpa talked, and thought that digging the capsule up on my 21st birthday would be cool, okay? He says by then I could have myself a giiiiiiirlfriend. Yeah, right. I'm not going to have any girlfriends, or wifes either. Girls are sooooooo girly!"

Jack and Sara laughed out loud.

"Anyway. Now you know what we did while you were in Vegas. Cool huh?"

Mike's voice floated in again.

"K, Charlie. Let's wrap it up."

"Okay. I've gotta go now. Grandpa says we have to bury the box sometime before you get back."

Charlie climbed up onto the chair so he was eye level with the Web-Cam.

"I miss you guys, and love you very, very much," he said, leaning forward and kissing the lens. Then cocking his head to one side, he grinned and said; "I hope you got me something real cool from Vegas."

Suddenly he was pulled away from the camera, and it became evident that Mike had picked him up and was dragging him away.

"You little gift monster," he was saying.

The last sound as the camera was switched off, was Charlie giggling.

Jack was almost afraid to look at Sara, knowing that she would be upset at listening to Charlie's message. So he was surprised to find her laughing, even as the tears rolled down her face.

"What?" He asked.

"He was just like you."

"What's that mean?"

"Oh you know. The sarcasm, the sharp witt and the whats in it for me line."

"What are you saying?" Jack asked, feigning hurt.

"That you can be sarcastic, sharp witted and that you have got to have things go your way."

"I do not!" Jack retorted.

"Yes, you do."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Not."

"Do."

"Not."

"Do too."

"Not"

Mike had worried about how Sara and Jack would react to the CD, but as he lay in his bed listening to the sound of voices and laughter as it wafted through the house, he smiled.

Charlie may have been the gift monster, but today, even though he was no longer there in body, he had still managed to give his parents the most precious gift of all.

The gift of love.

end


End file.
